Atomic nucleus

most difficult decision of his life. He could drop a bomb that would vaporize thousands of lives but would end a war in Japan, or he could continue on and cause more American, Allied, and Japanese military casualties. Truman decided to use the first atomic bombs ever made, codenamed “Little Boy” and “Fat Man”, to obliterate Hiroshima and Nagasaki in an attempt to end what was already a brutal and bloody war. While his strategy proved true to work, it would also prove to perhaps the most…

There were many factors that gave the United States the upper hand in World War 2. One of the biggest ones was the Manhattan Project, which was the program that developed the first atomic bomb that began in 1939. But what is the Manhattan Project? Who was involved? Where and when did they actually use a perfected version of the Atom bomb and what was the aftermath? Though some of this may have been lost in history by the brilliant minds behind the project, we do know some very important…

them. Then when Japan was bombed and the Soviet Union had seen the power of the atomic bomb and wanted that power for themselves. This was the start of the Cold War Arms Race, the start of a fight for nuclear power and…

World War II was the event that incited a revolutionary period in airpower. American aviation more than proved its worth in the victories over both the European and Pacific theatre. A powerful airpower wouldn’t be possible much less successful without unyielding leadership. Powerful men, who refused to stay within the boundaries given to them by the Army or Washington itself. One such man was Major General Curtis E. LeMay. During his period leading the XXI bombing command proceeding General…

destruction of the Trinity test, many scientists who worked on the Manhattan Project lost enthusiasm. They realized the amount of devastation that the bomb they created would bring if used as a weapon. Many scientists fought against the production of more atomic bombs. Some even quit the Manhattan Project due to moral reasons. They did not want to be a part of the massive casualties these bombs would bring. After the success of the Trinity test, the United States sent the Potsdam…

On August 6, 1945, American forces dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. Just three days later, on August 9, was Nagasaki’s turn. Instantly, the cities were left in ruins, and death took its toll. It is estimated that about 70.000 people died immediately in each city. What followed was destruction and increasing death rates due to the radiations. Although there may be many reasons for President Harry Truman’s decision to drop the nuclear bombs, the primary one must have been terminating…

Brian Gutierrez J. Samuel Walker, Prompt and Utter Destruction: Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs Against Japan, (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2004). In Prompt and Utter Destruction by J. Samuel Walker, there is a lot to be said when talking about the use of atomic bombs. Throughout the book, Walker breaks down the choice made by President Harry S. Truman and analyzes some of the myths that are brought up when talking about the end of World War II. The thesis to Prompt and…

to emerge as a super power after the war, as they had made over $560 billion dollars, adjusted for inflation, in investments over the course of the war (Atlantic). Another large reason for America emerging as a superpower was the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This technological advancement was crucial to the victory over Japan, and pushed technology in the United States far beyond where it was. It is, however, a combination of these two factors that put America as a…

Moynihan, Denis. “Hiroshima and Nagasaki, 70 Years After the Atomic Bombs Were Dropped.” Democracy Now. August 6, 2015. October 23, 2015.) These words, originally of the Hindu scripture, accurately manifest the realities of harnessed nuclear power; humanity is her own worst enemy. Hundreds of thousands of civilians…

and only use of nuclear weapons in warfare. The United States use of the atomic bombs on Japan, One of the most controversial decisions in history, resulted in the death of over 130,000 people and caused un-predicted effects on physical health and economic relations upon the world. Historians contrast the effects brought upon the world and justifications for using the atomic bombs as a solution to ending the war. The atomic bombs changed the world and brought devastating effects on the…